Letters to the editor Tuesday

Someone writing to Vox Populi said that the best tomatoes in Savannah are sold at the Skidaway Narrows bridge. They are right and there were two sellers, the peanut man and the folks from the Promised Land Farm. Locally grown seasonal vegetables and fruits right from the farm.

Both sold their own vegetables and the Peanut Man also bought from other local farmers in Blitchton and other communities. They were there almost every day, everything was always fresh and inexpensive, and I greatly enjoyed conversing with them about the weather, politics and many other things.

I believe in supporting local farmers and weaning ourselves of dependency on corporate farms and food providers. I also love the taste of freshly picked fruits and vegetables, far superior to the supermarket fare.

Unfortunately, Chatham County government does not support localism in the least, although they purport to.

The Promised Land folks have gone back to Rincon to sell, away from the clutches of our county government. The Peanut Man is still there, but only on the weekend. Why? Chatham County Public Works and Park Services decided to increase the roadside vendor fees they charge to vendors selling at public parks and boat facilities from $160 every three months to $30 per day.

That's $10,950 a year if he were open 365 days, in addition to the fees he pays Chatham County for licensure. Poor guy will have to sell a heck of a lot of peanuts and tomatoes just to survive. While $10,950 may seem like peanuts to the county budget makers, to the Peanut man it could mean his death as a salesman.

CATHERINE S. ADLER

Savannah

Crusader and friend will be missed

As a former Chatham County resident, I was saddened to learn of the recent passing of Savannahian Craig Perron earlier this month.

Many of you may have overheard his unmistakable Yankee accent while out on the town; many of you know his name from his mid-town accounting practice; many of you may remember his eloquent letters to the editor in this very publication; many of you were lucky enough to know him as a devoted friend, loving husband, father and grandfather.

A very small crowd of us knew Craig as an unrelenting crusader for Democratic ideals. He was a generous donor; tireless fundraiser, eager volunteer, trusted advisor, frequent treasurer to many campaigns, fledgling or otherwise.

Many people knew Craig in many ways. I knew Craig as my friend, and it is in this way that I will miss him most.

CORY VAILLANCOURT

Mill Creek, Pa.

Rationing babies? God help us

Joel Spivak has written the editor again to argue for abortion. With "Abortion funding cost effective" (Letters, Sept. 20), he explains the price tags he would apply to unborn babies. And he finds it "unfortunate" if the "expensive" ones aren't aborted (without his personal involvement, that is).

If many Americans agree with him - that we should ration human beings - I'm glad I succeeded in getting born before they got to me.

He also argues, "It is a fact that the majority of the public is pro-choice." That is not a fact; it is a rationalization.

When polled on the reasons women themselves give for their abortions, more than two-thirds would outlaw more than 80 percent of those abortions. And public opinion is trending more pro-life.

I don't know Mr. Spivak personally, but my observation is that some of the most ardent supporters of abortion are men who have fathered one or more children out of wedlock. Rather than pay child support, they would prefer that those kids be aborted (by someone else).

Could there be a better time to offer this prayer? "God help us!"

BIRNEY BULL

Savannah

Teachers should thank responsible parents

For the teacher complaining, in this newspaper, about having kids 30 minutes before and after school "So the parents can get to work on time," please remember to be grateful for the following five things before you complain again:

1. That you have a job.

2. That the kids' parents have a job.

3. That the parent is responsible enough to go to work on time.

4. That the parents are teaching the kids that to get to work on time is the right thing to do.

5. That the parent is responsible enough to not leave the kids alone to fend for themselves.

LEE BLACKWELL

Savannah

Let's start listening to one another

The recent spate of incidents involving Congressman Joe Wilson, entertainer Kanye West and tennis star Sabrina Williams are part of a much larger dynamic.

The thin veneer of civility that exists in modern life is under stress. This veneer of civility tends to erode when people are feeling pressured by events and forces that are beyond their control.

Often there is an initial pulling together to respond to the threat, but the more extended and diffuse the pressures, the more likely we are to see civility crack and eventually breakdown. Who would argue that we are in a period of extended and diffuse pressure today?

There are times when what we call civility needs to be broken down. Social change movements must break through the civility of the status quo to ask fundamental questions of human fairness.

Would Representative Wilson's outburst would fall into this category? Not to my eye, but you may choose to see it that way. I would suggest that Mr. West's and Ms. Williams' transgressions cannot be considered using this measure, but would welcome a differing view.

Here is a small choice we can all make to strengthen the glue that holds us together as citizens of the United States. Let's seek out thoughtful, reasonable people who see the world differently than we do. Let's find ways to listen to and talk with one another.

Let's try to see the world as they do. Let's ask them to do the same.

As we do this, we will get better and better at it. Let's keep stretching toward people whose lives and views seem more and more different than ours. Let's look for someone who speaks a without using language. Let's look for someone whose humanity we have overlooked.

Let us ask our friends to do this as well. Let us begin a groundswell of respectful listening and speaking among people we know and people we will be getting to know.

Each of us will gradually begin to feel better. Our common humanity will be strengthened. This is the glue that holds us together. Without it we will live in chaos and sadness.

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